There's still Hope for Light
by Sir Estheim I
Summary: After Lightning disappears Hope vows to find her and declare his love, little does he know that she has felt the same way about him since their separation. Will these two finally realize their feelings despite the obstacles in their path? May contain cuteness. AU, based off of aspects of FFXIII and FFXIII-2. Happy reading!
1. Prologue

**Authors Notes**

**Uh... Hello Readers. This is a prologue to my first ever fan fic, if you could leave a review to tell me how to improve my writing or if you liked the story so far I would appreciate it. This story basically came to me after thinking about the ending to both FFXIII and FFXIII-2, I'm hoping for it to be quite a few chapters and as you can see it is a Hope x Lightning fic so expect some angst here and there. **

**Hope: "You can say that again!" O.o**

**Sorry about that interruption, *stares angrily at Hope* enjoy the prologue for now with more to come in the future.**

**Unfortunately I don't own Final Fantasy, so yeah.**

**This is an Alternate Universe story and therefore the events of LR will not occur. (It is also because I haven't played Lightning Returns yet).**

Prologue: Unexpected

_As Hope Estheim stared up at the crystal pillar that imprisoned Fang and Vanille, He couldn't help but feel a concoction of emotions flood over him: grief, loneliness and uncertainty to name just a few. He knew these feelings all too well. But this time he didn't have to be alone. There was warmth at his side and gazed up into the lightning blue eyes of the woman he cared for and looked up to. She stood staring at the glittering pillar, the light from it illuminating her beauty. Hope could not contain his thoughts much longer, but could not help but worry if she would understand his emotions. Hope plucked up the courage to speak his mind._

"…_L-Lightning" he said softly. She was noticeably startled by his sudden speech and looked over to him. "Yes?" she answered calmly but sternly. He had got her attention and his heart fluttered at the piercing blue eyes staring into his own. "What is it?" she asked with a hint of worry in her eyes. He hadn't even noticed that he had been staring at her 'Get a hold of yourself Hope' he thought to himself. He immediately regained his composure; he didn't want to seem weak in front of Lightning. "Sorry, I was just thinking about how much we have been through" a weak response, he carried on nonetheless, "I-Light…" he trailed off. She looked confused and he panicked. "Light I really care a lot about you… you know, but seeing what happened to Fang and Vanille, made me realise how much I care about you…" his voice trailed off again and he looked expectantly into her eyes. She smiled and he couldn't believe it. A genuine smile from Lightning Farron, it was more precious than anything he could ever own, he reached over to her, intertwining his fingers with hers and her smile faded for a second only to be replaced by a broader smile but what happened next was even more unexpected. She squeezed his hand in acceptance. Felling happier than he had ever felt in his life Hope squeezed back. As quick as her namesake he was pulled into a warm and welcoming embrace. Hope didn't know how to feel about it, all he knew was that it made him happy. Lightning quickly looked up from hopes face and stared around at the others. Hope suspected this was to make sure they weren't looking. Then something extremely astonishing happened, it was very out of character for lightning. She kissed him on the cheek. And he went beetroot red. "I care about you too Hope"._

Then Hope the young scientist woke up. It seemed like only yesterday since he had seen her but in fact it had been 507 years. He was now the same age as she was when she had disappeared. Of course with Noel and Serah's help they had been able to find her again, much to his relief. But then Serah had died. It was something he and Noel would have to fix before Lightning returned or else she would never rest. But instead of dwelling on the hard task ahead his thoughts wandered back to the pink haired beauty of his dreams, he missed her more than words can describe. He now knew that the feelings he had felt on the day of Cocoons fall, were stronger than ever. Maybe... maybe the age gap wouldn't matter any more? He loved her and he wondered; even after all this time, if she felt the same.

**Authors Notes**

**Well that was unexpected wasn't it. :D**


	2. Chapter 1: Remembrance

**Authors Notes**

**A bit of a longer chapter this time and although I'm not happy with all of it I'm happy with the ending. Also thank you to ultima-terra who gave me my first review. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be coming because I have A-Level work to do this week but if I get time I'll write the next chapter.**

Chapter 1: Remembrance

*_Sigh_* 'If only she knew how I've felt the years we've been apart' Hope had snapped right out of his dream and was saddened by the world around him. Being the director gave him everything he could have ever wanted and more, a penthouse apartment, money and any girl he could ever want, yet he was not happy. Something or someone was still nagging at the back of his mind even when he had tried to push it back all these years, just considering it some stupid childhood crush. He sighed again a lot louder this time. "If she could see me now…" he stumbled on his words just thinking about her. Hope thought that he would have gotten over her by now, that was obviously not the case even after all this time. The fleeting image of her eyes flashed at him through his memories still made him feel something, he was less sure of what he felt day by day. 'Why can't I see her again?' He thought angrily and slammed his fist down on his desk. The force making the blueprints and designs he had made fly everywhere. He didn't bother cleaning it up, instead moving on to the next thought.

'I have always worked to make everyone else happy but when is it time for me to have what I've truly wanted'.

He had worked with his father to build the academy and now that his father was dead Hope carried on the Estheim legacy. In fact he was considered a genius in most respects able to create some of the most efficient machines the world had seen. Auto targeting systems to protect Academia from the brutal Behemoths, the smaller Gorgonopsids and the gigantic Adamantortoises of Grand Pulse's wilderness, gun blades with specific attachments, elemental ammo or armour penetrating ammo. Were just a few of his greatest achievements along with creating Bhunivelze to take Cocoon's place when the crystal pillar shatters. And then there was time travel. Something he still couldn't quite figure out. Anyway he was waiting for Noel to discuss this exact matter. 'He's more than half an hour late' thought Hope his anger rising again. That fateful day when Noel and Serah returned after killing Caius had been more confusing than ever to him. Serah had even said she'd bring 'Her' back with an emphasis on 'Her'. But she never did come back and now both Farrons were missing. Then Chaos flooded into the world causing time to cease existing, so now everyone was immortal except for if they were murdered or committed suicide. There were more downfalls to immortality because no one aged no children could be made because the foetuses did not develop.' All of this was Caius' fault' thought Hope.

Another hour had passed and still no sign of Noel. "Where is he!" shouted hope in frustration. No one answered him. He was truly alone. 'I wouldn't have to be if she was here' he pondered carefully and his mind was lead back to all the times he had went to Etro's throne to see if Lightning had returned and was sitting there. But he was disappointed every time. He had often spoken to Lightning even though she wasn't there and sometimes even hinted at his feelings, knowing that she'd probably never hear what he said but in a way it was kind of therapeutic. Using an oracle drive he had found out about Lightning's fate. But when he visited the throne she was no longer there. "Maybe the prophecy was wrong?" A smirk made its way onto his face as he wondered where she was now. Of course these thoughts transformed themselves into thinking about her beautiful smile and finally into hypothesising whether she felt the same way about him. He hoped she did. 'But I'm just being naïve and foolish' he told himself. He smiled at the prospect of finding her and it gave him the motivation he needed to carry on. He walked slowly to his apartment door still thinking to himself about her. Sometimes he had to just get on with life and not worry about anything else. Familiar words echoed in his brain as he reached the door. "It's not a question of can or can't… There are some things in life you just do". "Light?" he whispered as his hand reached the handle. He hesitated before opening the door knowing of the hard task ahead. *_Sigh_* 'I might as well get this over with' he thought as he groaned inwardly. *_Knock, Knock, Knock* _Hope's eyes widened in anticipation, 'She _is_ here?!' he though swinging the door open and almost breaking the hinges to lock his green eyes with a pair of blue ones. The only thing wrong was that these weren't Lightning's eyes…

**Authors Notes**

**Sorry guys cliffhanger for now...**

**Hope: Why do you torture me?**

**Sir E: Every hero has to go through some sort of conflict.**

**Hope: Why me?**

**Sir E: Because in the end you will be rewarded my friend.**

**Hope: *looks confused***

**Sir E: I promise you will like it.**

**You can probably tell who the blue eyed person is anyway. Leave a review and tell me how to improve if you are feeling especially helpful or just leave one because you like the story all reviews are appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 2: Crystal Clear

**Authors Notes**

**Now this is a monster chapter for me. It took me a week to write but I think it's the best chapter I have written so far because the feels and fluff are quite strong in places. I actually thought the setting would be very interesting and changeable but that's up for you lot to decide. This is my first time writing from lightnings perspective too. Personally I find it easier to write from Hopes perspective as he is a lot like me.**

**Hope: Uh... I don't think so.**

**Sir E: Okay... Sorry.**

**Hope: Maybe a little bit, I guess...**

**But I digress. Read, review and Enjoy! **

* * *

Chapter 2: Crystal Clear

With all colours and wavelengths of light earnestly trying to break through her eyelids, Lightning Farron tried to sleep for the first time in centuries. 'Just a few more minutes won't hurt' she thought happily. Eventually her thoughts began to stir and she could no longer pursue sleep, 'How long have I been asleep anyway?' she questioned anxiously, her thoughts soon being twisted to make her extremely anxious although she did not know what there was to be anxious about. Perhaps it was because Lightning had been a soldier for so long that sleep seemed alien to her, or the fact that those damned lights wouldn't stop trying to pierce her vision, 'They are beautiful though' she admitted. Instead she decided to succumb to the urge to get up and look around at her surroundings. But what she saw wasn't quite what she had expected.

The large cavity of a room was in fact a crystalline structure with pillars of fiery orange, vivid pinks, purples and misty blues as well. For a small moment Lightning struggled to understand where she was, then again she hadn't even started to think about how she got there. All became clear as she grudgingly wiped the sleep out of her bleary and battle scared eyes. '"This can't be where I think it is" she whispered almost inaudibly whilst exploring the space. But it was exactly what she thought it was. As she made her way deeper inside the structure she found something which confirmed her suspicions… Fang and Vanille. Lightning let out a small gasp at the inevitable discovery. "At least I have something to look forward to" she muttered, knowing that no one would hear her. Suddenly a vision of Serah appeared in front of her eyes, then a severe pain originating in her head which spread all over her body. It was worse than any physical pain she had felt in her life as it was mixed with sorrow and despair which only worsened the experience.

Lightning bolted upright gasping for air; she'd gotten up so quickly she'd grazed her knees. It was crystal clear to her now, she remembered everything and it made her feel so empty and alone. The last time she had felt like this was when their mother had died. But Serah dying was inconceivable. Unprecedented. She'd even go so far as to say it was unfair. But she was being childish. 'Someone needs to pay for this' Lightning thought, anger welling up inside her along with a deep sadness, that the only person she had cared the most about was gone. The intensity of her feelings could not be contained and soft tears streamed down her reddened cheeks. 'Even the mighty Lightning cries sometimes'.

After her emotions had subsided she convinced herself that someone was responsible, even if she didn't know who, 'I have to get out of here' she thought determinedly. Nothing was going to perturb her as she made her way over to a crack in the crystals structure. Light whipped out her gunblade with speed and grace then began savagely hacking at the wall…

* * *

To no avail. She had no idea how long it had been but the sun was now setting and the room had changed to orange and red tones, 'Fitting' she thought considering her mood. Once again her emotions reached breaking point, she wanted to lash out, to punch something or someone. Tears had begun to fall yet again. "Get a hold of yourself Claire!" she shouted noticing she had used her real name. "No… I am Lightning" she frowned as she moved to ravage the wall again. But her thoughts moved into unfamiliar regions as she thought about the others who she would miss. 'I wonder if Noel is still alive' considering it had been more than a century she disregarded this thus sinking deeper into her thoughts, 'What about Snow? Heh… he probably couldn't cope without Serah anyway…' even though she disliked Snow at the best of times, she felt a slight pain in her chest as she realized that everyone she once knew was dead. Even Sazh and his son Dajh. She was disgusted. How could so much pain have been inflicted on the people she cared about, it was wrong, Lightning had to fix it and Claire felt she was responsible.

Lightning rubbed her reddened, raw and bruised eyes. 'I'm sure I'm forgetting someone' she exclaimed looking over to the gap in the crystal. It gave her… H-"HOPE!" she shouted, almost startling herself and bursting into tears again as the night drew near. She knew she cared about him almost as much as she cared for Serah but even she couldn't stop time and stop his inevitable death. She hated herself for being so useless… so powerless. It was the same as she had felt when her mother passed. Immediately after, she started wondering why she missed the boy so much, 'Maybe it's the same feeling as I felt when I kissed him'. She blushed slightly at the thought 'Why am I blushing', Lightning couldn't actually have feelings for him... could she? 'He's still a kid' she thought sadly. What she had felt on that day was probably the result of an adrenaline rush, or at least that's what she told herself. Light closed her eyes and started to dream of the silver haired boy whom she was so confused about. Afterwards she got up and was given a vision of Hope.

_She was in Etro's Temple yet again, looking down on a silver haired man kneeling at the front of the throne. He lifted his head and his green eyes flashed brightly, 'Hope?' could it really be him. As if answering her thoughts he grumbled "It's me again Lightning." He smiled, not his usual beaming smile. The one she had grown accustomed to. This smile was colder, much like her own. Sensing his unhappiness Lightning listened intently. "You've been gone for hundreds of years yet I stand before this throne alive and well." His voice didn't falter like it used to. "…I haven't been able to get you off my mind. I've tried working to get you out of my head but… I-…I just miss you so much." He smiled genuinely, now that was the Hope she remembered. Lightning wanted to say something to comfort him as the pain of separation was etched clearly on his face but her words fell on deaf ears. "Lightning… when will you come back. I want to see you again." He blushed this time and looked down at his feet, astonishing Lightning. 'Did he have feelings for her?' It was unlikely but her heart started racing at the thought. "I want to see you too" she whispered solemnly, again knowing that no one would hear her words. Hope looked up quizzically as if he had heard something but he walked away, disregarding it as a trick of his mind. Besides he was only hearing what he wanted to hear._

* * *

**Authors Notes**

**Well that had some intense emotions in it. I hope (no pun intended) you liked it. Remember to leave a review if you liked it because I certainly enjoyed writing this one, even thought it tortures Lightning and Hope a bit.**

**Hope and Lightning: *death stare***

**Sir E: Sorry guys. I do care for you both but this story ain't anywhere near over yet.**

**Lightning: I'm going to kill him.**

**Hope: I'm not going to stop you.**

**Sir E: O.O**

** I also would like to know if you think I nailed the characters or if I got them slightly wrong. I really don't want them to be out of character because I'm bending them to my will too much. I don't when I will have the next chapter done but I can already see things getting intense between these two lovers.**

**Remember that reviews let me know what I'm doing wrong or right. I like getting them. They motivate me to write better and longer chapters.**


	4. Chapter 3: The Quest Begins

**Authors Notes**

**It's been a while hasn't it, although it has only been a week. Anyway this chapter was originally part of a much longer chapter (I think it was about 1,700 words) but because I decided it was too long I decided to split it in half to make it more manageable. I hope it's not too long (pun intended). I was happy with the way this chapter turned out although I think I need to work on my dialogue writing. But anyway enough about me I know you want to read this. **

**Also a little warning that there are some instances of minor swearing and wet dreams are implied at one point. Nothing to worry about though, it's all in good humour.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of this Square Enix owns the lot but maybe one day I'll work for them.**

* * *

Chapter 3: The Quest Begins

Staring into the deep blue eyes Hope realized that he was about to be disappointed again. It wasn't her. In fact it was Hope's young companion Noel Kreiss. 'About time' he thought angrily, quickly subduing the blush burning onto his face. He was probably hearing things. 'Although it isn't the first time this has happened' he though, recalling the few times he had heard Lightning's voice by Etro's throne. He grabbed the young man by the collar and yanked him inside the apartment, perhaps with too much vigour considering the confused look on his friends face.

"Sheesh. What's up with you Hope?" He asked bluntly. "…Nothing… I'm just wanted to get started. You've kept me waiting for more than an hour now." The reply came laced with daggers. "That's good news." "Why?" Hope questioned. "I think I've figured out a way to bring Serah back…" Noel whispered his voice returning to his thoughts. "Yes?!...What is it?" Hope enquired excitedly, seeming like the child he once was. "Well seeing as we used the Historia Crux to travel through time, Serah and I, I mean. I thought we could use it to go get her." Noel paused in thought. "Hmm… Except that she no longer exists in this timeline." Knowing the truth of the matter was a lot harder to accept than Hope had expected. "What if we could travel to a different dimension?" Hope ventured. "If we modify one of the portals that you and Serah used… maybe… just maybe it will work." He continued. Noels eyes widened at the idea but he soon seemed to calm himself. Nodding in acceptance of the plan he muttered "Exactly".

It had taken Hope two weeks to figure out how to do it. But now it was finally done. He smiled in appreciation of his hard work. Then hearing Noel's mutterings and snoring from behind him Hope got up and proceeded to push him out the bed. Much to Noel's distress. Looking up sadly from the floor he grudgingly got up, "You always wake me up when it gets to the good bit." Noel remarked with a smirk. 'I don't want to know what he was dreaming about.' Thought Hope in disgust. Noel obviously noticing the look of mortification on Hope's face, said "It's nothing like that-", "Oh_ really?_" Hope interjected sarcastically. "N-No" Noels face filled full of blood at the accusation. "It was just a dream about Yeul", "Hmph" Hope stifled his laughter. "N-Not like that though!" Hope smiled a genuine smile at his young friend. "I know what you mean; we all have dreams like that." "Even you?", "_Yes_… Even me." Hope trailed off and the conversation died there. He could feel Noel's blue eyes digging into his skull. He could also tell that he wanted to ask a question but he wasn't going to oblige him. "Anyway…" Hope raised his voice a little and made a mental note not to talk to Noel about his dreams again. "We have work to do. So let's get to it." Noel nodded his trademark nod in compliance with Hopes command, a determined look spreading over his face. Hope couldn't help but feel encouraged too, as they walked into the dimensional rift they had opened in his apartment.

* * *

When Hope came to he felt as if a Behemoth had trampled over him. He was exhausted, had a terrible headache and couldn't remember where he was. 'Why can't I move' he thought looking to his hands chained above his head. Nothing was making sense. 'Why do I feel like crap and why do I have no idea where I am'. Looking over to his right he saw Noel chained up similarly to himself. He looked peaceful if you ignored the cuts and bruises all over his face. "Noel…" Hope croaked. 'No reaction', he started to panic "Noel! Wake up!". "Wha-". He was not allowed to finish before the wall perpendicular to the two young men exploded. Hope covered his face by turning to face the wall he was chained to. He couldn't avoid all the debris however and was knocked out for the second time. _'Great!' _he thought, cursing his own existence before once again succumbing to what felt like a concussion.

Hope Estheim opened his eyes lazily to see dust settling and five blurry figures standing over him. 'That brick had hit harder than I had previously thought' moving his hands to the back of his head he felt a rather large lump and when he removed his hand it was covered in viscous dark red blood. He heard muffled voices and when his hearing eventually returned to him he heard a familiar voice saying his name "Hope needs medical help." Said the voice, it was a woman's and it had a bubbly quality to it that made it different to any other. "Serah" he coughed through his blood filled mouth. Then the pain in his head reached its peak forcing another blackout…

* * *

**Authors Notes**

**Oooh cliffhanger. Just when it was getting exciting as well. Anyway leave a review telling me what you liked (or didn't) about this chapter and tell me if I need to improve my dialogue writing. The next chapter, which follows on from this one, is coming on Sunday so keep an eye out for that. Yep it's a double chapter week.**

**Hope: _Great more pain for me!_**

**Sir E: Don't be so dramatic. It's not that bad compared to what I have planned. *insert evil laugh here***

**(Edit: P.S. Thanks to all the new followers. Particularly Gattsu and RallenCross. Also thanks to the person who has been with me from the start ultima-terra. You all keep me going, you have no idea how much it means to me that people are actually reading what I write. Thank you.)**


	5. Chapter 4: Surprise!

**Authors Notes**

**Phew. Still managed to publish the chapter on time, just like I said I would.**

**I think your all going to like this chapter it's a bit more emotional and action packed so be prepared for the feels. Let's just say there are some very surprising events within this chapter.**

**The chapter directly leads on from the last one because, as I mentioned before, it was a bigger chapter which I split into two parts.**

**Once again Square Enix owns it all. One day it will be mine. My precious.**

**Enjoy and R&R (read and review :D).**

* * *

Chapter 4: Suprise!

The next time he awoke he felt much better. Hope looked to his left to see Noel on a ragged bed sleeping soundly. No longer having to worry about his friend he began to get up. 'I have to complete the mission, with or without him' he thought solemnly 'Lightnin would never forgive me if I failed to save Serah'. But before he could get up he was forced back onto his own makeshift bed by a small but firm hand. "Serah!" he shouted surprised by her presence. "Good to see you again too." The pink haired girl said happily although her eyes sockets were slightly red from crying. Continuing from her previous statement she proposed a question "We both have a lot of explaining to do. Firstly, who is that?" She asked pointing over to Noel. "That's Noel" Hope replied.

He then went on to explain their whole reason for coming there and how they got there, along with the fact that the Serah of his and Noel's timeline was dead. Serah found it hard to take in; Hope could see the disbelief on her face. "If you don't believe me check the pendant hanging around Noel's neck." She walked over to him, looked at the pendant hanging from the young man's neck and gasped in disbelief. "It is true" She conceded. "I guess it's my turn to explain what's been going on." She said with a pout. Hope could already see tears forming in her eyes.

Firstly she told Hope of the situation her and the rest of NORA were in. The five figures he had seen earlier were Serah, Gadot, Lebreau, Yuj and Maqui and they had all been fighting against Snow. 'Against Snow?!'

"Wait a second. Are you saying Snow imprisoned us?" Hope cried out in disbelief. "Why?", "Well…" said Serah reluctantly. "What!?" Hope questioned loudly and anxiously. "After I was freed from crystalstasis Snow started acting weird. He started saying that what the world needed was stable leadership." Serah began. Hope nodded at her to carry on. "After travelling to 500 years in the future we found that our version of you had founded a new government called the academy. All Snow could focus on was that you were the wrong man for the job and he gathered an army stormed the Academy's HQ and threw you off a balcony." Hope was speechless. This did not sound like the Snow he knew. Instead of being like a brother this one seemed more like an adversary. "He… killed me…" Hope was astounded by the sudden realization. Serah nodded tears flowing like rivers down her face.

* * *

The rest was already apparent to Hope. 'After seizing Academia Snow Villers had become a dictator and NORA along with Serah were fighting a losing war against him. It took some convincing to get Serah to come with them but Noel eventually convinced her. 'She had taken quite a liking to him as a matter of fact.' But the rest of the original NORA squad were uneasy about her leaving. "Serah you can't leave. If you leave then Snow has won" pleaded Gadot. "Yeah Serah" piped up Maqui "We can't do this without you" he said happily although his fear was hinted at by the way his voice broke. "He has already won" replied Serah bluntly and with an unnatural coldness added "There's no point in fighting for a lost cause" She sounded a bit like Lightning, only not so harsh. The NORA members were awestruck by their leader's sudden change. "We can have a better life…" she continued "If we go with them" she finished by looking at Noel and Hope. Now Lebreau was the voice of reason. "I think she's right. We've been through so much and I for one am tired of fighting an endless war". Seeing the two females give up made Maqui and Yuj realise that staying probably wasn't the best option and soon after Gadot agreed that it was the best course of action too although he was hostile towards the two outsiders.

The next few weeks were hard. Hope and Noel worked tirelessly to build a new portal to lead them back to their own dimension. Hopes abilities as a scientist and mechanic had been put to the test as well as his patience. 'Why won't it work' he thought in anguish, jamming an electrode into a socket. Suddenly the portal came to life. Noel smiled and shouted "Its working! Quick get over here before it fizzles out again!" The NORA Collective solemnly walked around the corner and into the room flanked by Snow's guards. Something was definitely wrong and Hope feared the worst. The soldiers had their guns aimed at the NORA members ready to shoot on command. "Whoa! Lower your weapons guys!" Snow commanded, "These people are like family to me." He grinned. Not his usual hero grin but a sinister version of it, 'It made his face look wrong'. "You didn't think you'd get away that easily?" he said mockingly. "Actually I thought it would be harder" came Hopes retort, before the room turned black. Electric bursts from tasers exploded across the room and chaos ensued. When the lights turned back on all of the soldiers were incapacitated. Snow was the only one left standing twitching as the electricity flowed through him. "I'll kill you again if I have to Estheim" stuttered Snow, taking a step forward but falling to his knees. "No!" Hope shouted. "No more deaths, you will have to live with what you have done", "You can't have her!" Snow shouted, referring to Serah. Hope finished the confrontation with an uppercut to Snow's jaw, knocking him unconscious. 'Man… that hurt' Hope thought as he entered the portal with his friends.

* * *

**Authors Notes**

**That was very exciting wasn't it. This was one of my favourite chapters to write and I even thought up an alternate ending, do you want to hear it?**

**Snow: If it involves me getting K.O.'d again. No.**

**Hope: Yeah that really hurt, what is your face made of?**

**Sir E: Wasn't asking you.**

* * *

**Alternate Ending**

Snow was the only one left standing twitching as the electricity flowed through him. "I'll kill you again if I have to Estheim" stuttered Snow, taking a step forward but falling to his knees. "No!" Hope shouted. "No more deaths, you will have to live with what you have done", "You can't have her!" Snow shouted. "I don't want her particularly" replied Hope sassily. "It's Noel who wants her actually." *everyone in the room gasps* "Is that really how you feel?" questioned Serah, not making eye contact with Noel. "By the Maker, say it ain't true!" Snow groaned. "It is" replied Noel curtly, turning beetroot red and pretending his shoes were the most interesting things ever. Serah walked over to him and planted a kiss on his lips making Noel turn redder than he already was. "I think I'm gonna hurl" moaned Snow. "Shut up Snow!" shouted Serah in anger, giving him a look of pure venom. Before a boomerang hit him across the head. "Can we leave now." Hope started impatiently,"We have to sort out my love life too."

* * *

**As you can see very out of character for some of them but also funny and if it seems like I hate Snow, I don't. I like him normally, he's like the goofy older brother but the version I've created is more like an annoying evil twin. Anyway hope you enjoyed that (no pun intended) thanks for the continued support and Review please you've got no idea how much it helps.**


	6. Chapter 5: Unrequited?

**Authors Notes**

**Sorry if this is a little late I got writers block for a little while but I sorted it out. I kinda rushed it to get it out at a good time but I'm pleased with this chapter I think it's quite touching.**

* * *

Chapter 5: Unrequited?

'I hate this feeling. What even is this?' Lightning thought. She couldn't recall feeling it before. She felt her heart flutter; her face turned a lightish red colour at the thoughts. 'No that can't be it' Light rejected her emotions and tried to keep moving forward. She'd been having …unusual feelings after seeing a vision of Hope. She had received more of the aforementioned visions of him, all going through general things about life on Pulse. He always seemed to excerpt the parts about Serah, 'Which is in fact the main reason I'm listening' lightning convinced herself. She wondered 'what if this was her patron god's cruel joke, making her watch Hope age and go through so much pain trying to save her and Serah.' It eerily reminded Lightning of herself.

She sometimes wished she could see into Hope's mind or better than that she hoped he would hear her, that way she would know what he really thought of her but she could ponder in her sleep no longer. The chirping of birds and colours radiating throughout the room had awakened her from her metaphorically and literally Hope oriented dreams and reminded her of main objective, getting out of the crystal fortress that had become so familiar. 'Maybe I could find Serah and see him again' lightning considered but soon pushed away her emotions as she needed to focus on the task at hand, getting distracted by Hope was not a priority.

Hacking at the crack in the wall had originally been her plan but that wasn't getting anywhere. Instead she had tried to traverse the crystal structure in order to find a way out, so far she hadn't been very successful, its labyrinth-like structure confusing her to the point of frustration. 'Hope would be able to figure it out if he was here' she thought smiling slightly. Eventually she got too tired to carry on and gave in. The light radiating around the structure turning purple, pink and red as the sun set. Sleep was tempting but first she had to say goodnight to Fang and Vanille. As she walked up to her cocooned friends she noticed the light dancing around the room. "You would have loved this" She stated, referring to Vanille more than Fang but she knew both of them appreciated nature, which Lightning guessed came from growing up on Pulse. She started awestruck because of the beautiful arrangement of colours, "I wish we were all together again" Claire continued; Breaking down and crying at the two statues feet, she then finished with, "I'm sorry you have to see me like this. Goodnight." Before running into a more secluded part of the crystal to cry herself to sleep. There was one thing she was forgetting though, today was a very special day. Her Birthday.

Normally she didn't celebrate it, but Serah always insisted on buying her a present of some kind. Mostly dresses or more feminine items that she didn't see the point of. 'What's the point in perfume anyway? Deodorant suits me just fine.' She thought annoyed by the ditzy and materialistic nature of some women.

'Why was it so hard to get to sleep?' Normally it was easy, the trials of the day had normally worn her out and she was running low on food and water. Even little hunting trips to catch Flan and gathering berries from small plants that had rooted themselves in the crystal structure were getting harder as the crystal seemed to have a whole ecosystem of its own, which again Lightning didn't understand. Maybe it was just because of dehydration or lack of nourishment but she started having lucid dreams of Hope, some happy where she was still with him and others more nightmarish. Suddenly a pain began to drill at her mind, 'Not this again' she thought angrily, her eyes filled with a bright light before another vision of Hope appeared. This was evidently not a dream as Hope acted as he normally would instead of how Lightning imagined him to.

_"Back again" he said while smiling broadly. It was the smile he reserved for her, even if he didn't know that Lightning could see him clear as day. Obviously he had grown older his hair gaining a few inches and the weariness of his work had made him look a bit grey, his eyes had lost their usual spark of boyishness and he seemed to have lost some muscle as his clothes were draped over him rather than fitting him perfectly like they used to._

_Light was suddenly afraid, 'He's wasting away and practically working himself to death' she pondered anxiously. 'I-It's all my fault' she gasped at the conclusion she had come to. It was her fault he was so sickly, he worked so hard trying to find her that he was wasting away. In a way it was sweet knowing that someone was looking out for her, 'He might actually like me' thought Claire, again getting those strange feelings that had appeared much more frequently when thinking of or seeing Hope. 'It's just a childish notion anyway, I can't believe I have the audacity to think that he might care for me'._

_"...L-Light" he stuttered nervously, "I hope you're happy wherever you are, it being your birthday today." 'How did I forget?' she was ashamed of her ignorance. "I can't believe that you're twenty four" he stated jokingly. 'Twenty four!' Lightning really hadn't been keeping track of time as she couldn't believe it either. "I hope you don't mind me getting you something" he muttered, reaching into his pocket as he spoke and brought out a small broach in the shape of a rose. It was pink and ornate, Lightning had never seen something so beautifully crafted before. She wanted him to know of her gratitude, it was such a nice present. "Thank you" she whispered, hoping with all her heart that he would hear her. He looked up, surprised. 'Maybe he can hear me?' She thought excitedly. "You don't have to say anything Light" he said chuckling at his little joke. "I got it because it reminds me of you" He smiled the trademark smile reserved only for her. "I'll keep it safe for you, so you can have it when you come back."_

It was at this moment that the vision stopped. "No... Don't leave me again" Light cried out in anguish, realising her true feelings for him, she cared so much for him and hated to see him in the state he was in. She couldn't say that she loved him at this point but she was sure she was attracted to the man of her dreams.

After her short outburst she strolled over to where Fang and Vanille slept. And recounted the details of her most recent vision. Mainly because it kept her sane but also because she needed to put her feelings about Hope out in the open. "I definitely feel something for him" she concluded. 'I just hope he feels the same way' She thought smiling at the prospect. Lightning promised "When I see him again I'll tell him", more to herself than to her two stony faced freinds. 'I _will_ see him again'.

* * *

**Authors Notes**

**Sorry no end note humour this time. I'm really tired and I couldn't think of anything funny to do with this chapter. If you have any suggestions they would be appreciated because as always all reviews are useful. I haven't got many reviews to be honest and I was just wondering what people thought of the fic so far. I was thinking of ending it if I don't get more feedback because if no one cares about this fic then what's the point in writing it?**

**Sorry to end on such a downer but I'm in a low place at the moment and I think I need something to encourage me to write more.**


	7. Chapter 6: It's Complicated

**Authors Notes**

**Sorry this is a bit late. I got lazy but you lot encouraged me to carry on writing because I kinda feel like I have to finish it now. I feel like it went better than I expected it to even though I rushed it a bit. I might add in some humour at the end as well for a little treat. But I think the interaction between Serah, Snow and Hope is funny anyway.**

* * *

Chapter 6: It's Complicated

Almost immediately after the confrontation with Snow the tyrant, Nora and co. were forced to leave their world in the hope of having a better future. It seemed bleak but there was optimism radiating from all of the survivors as they exited the historia crux into Bhunivelze. Not much had changed to the NORA squad and Serah, but they in fact believed they were still on Pulse where in actuality they were on Bhunivelze. 'Everything seemed… well… good'.

Hope Estheim looked at the world he had created in wonderment. Quietly contemplating his own words of encouragement. 'I need to carry on, no matter what' he thought inadvertently adding, 'For Light'. Even as his thoughts started to meander off to the beautiful soldier he quickly noticed a change coming over his companion Noel. His smile faded and his face contorted into an image of pain. Bending over in intense pain holding his head in agony he shouted "Make it stop!" Suddenly Hope was brought back to the present, 'What now?' he questioned worriedly. He turned to see Serah and NORA gathered around the shivering form that was Noel. Serah quietly tried to comfort him. Hope quickly walked over, "NOEL! Snap out of it!" he shouted trying to take control of the situation somehow. He grabbed the young man by the shoulders and shook him, in an attempt to shake him out of his trance, it obviously didn't work but it was worth a try anyway. Immediately after Noel ceased his movement and stood up screaming at them to get away from him. "What's going on?" Hope asked in an effort to help his friend. But instead was answered by a more jovial voice. "Woah, He's really freaking out isn't he?" asked Snow in a way that only he could.

The whole group swivelled around to see the hulking giant of a man. "Don't worry though, I can fix him" he said cracking his knuckles. "What if you hurt him?" asked Serah quietly, obviously still harbouring some of her old feelings towards her version of Snow. "Nah, he'll be fine" joked Snow his typical hero grin flashing across his face as he completely ignored that it was Serah asking him.

"I have to protect the timeline" Noel whispered drawing his twin blades, and because everyone was still facing Snow none of them noticed Noel until he was almost upon them. "I must purge all anomalies!" He roared lunging towards the group. Hope visibly saw Snows eyes widen as Noel went to strike Serah, "NO!" they shouted in unison. Snow leapt forward and landed a powerful blow knocking out Noel as soon as he made contact with his face. Addressing Serah, Snow muttered "Are you okay?" she looked up at him as he brought himself down to her level. Serah nodded and smiled staring into the eyes of the man that she loved. Cupping her face in one of his big hands he brought her face to meet his, kissing her tenderly but breaking the kiss off quickly as she looked confused. "I thought I'd lost you" he confessed his voice faltering for the first time. "At least _my_ hero was here to protect me this time" she said smiling a sad smile. The love between the two was inevitable but Hope would have thought it would be different. "Some things never change" Lebreu joked, voicing exactly what Hope was thinking. "At least things are getting back to normal" He said whilst watching Snow pick Serah up bridal style. Snow walked over to the group again. Now looking away from the love of his life and at Hope instead. "You brought her back" Hope nodded before being dragged into Snows now free left arm. "Thank you so much", "You're welcome pal?" replied Hope slightly gasping for air in Snows vice grip. After letting go Serah and Snow said something that Hope really wasn't prepared for, "Now that you sorted Serah and I out we thought we oughtta repay you" Snow started. Then Serah chimed in with him "So when we find sis you two can go on a date". 'I was not prepared for that' thought Hope. His face flushing red for a few seconds. "…T-That's not necessary" he stuttered. "Your loss" murmured Yuj and continued with, "I'd take her on a date", "Yeah except she'd break your nose" interjected Maqui, laughing at his own joke. The antics of NORA and Snow continued while taking Noel to the hospital. And Hope was getting tired of their jokes about Lightning. So instead of going home he stayed by Noel's side to investigate him further. He had a suspicion that Noel wasn't exactly himself and needed to find out what was wrong with him.

The next day when Noel awoke he was completely normal, not even remembering making an attempt on Serah's life. "I'm ashamed" he gasped. "It's unthinkable seeing how much we have been through". "I know. That's why I've tried to figure out what's wrong with you but everything seems normal" replied Hope relaying his findings to his confused companion. Hope didn't want to worry Noel but he had noticed a miniscule change. One of his eyes had changed to being purple from its original dark blue colour. And only one thing could have caused that. He couldn't be sure it was what he thought it was so he disregarded it as an assumption without evidence. 'Things are definitely about to get complicated' He thought anxiously.

* * *

**Authors Notes**

**Well then. Will Hope get his date with Lightning? What's wrong with Noel? That's for me to know and you to find out. I guess I tortured Hope less this time so I hope (pun intended) you're happy that Hope is happier. He managed to bring the big group of friends back together. **

**Hope: I actually wouldn't mind a date with Lightning. But I don't want her to disregard my feelings. I'm so confused.**

**Sir E: Don't worry I'll sort it out for you.**

**Hope: *blushes* Uh... Thanks I guess.**

**Snow: See loverboy, everything works out okay. And you get your chance to use some of those pick up lines I taught you.**

**Sir E: What? Ones like, 'Are you an angel because your ass is outta this world'.**

**Snow: I tried that one on Fang, haha.**

**Hope: Oh Maker. I can't deal with this.**

**Anyway I figure I should explain the story a bit more just so we all understand what's happened. Basically Lightning starts in the crystal pillar supporting cocoon, her starting position is directly 3 years behind Hopes so when she emerges she will be 24 while Hope is 21. Yeah I fiddled withe the ages a bit but it still works. If you have any questions about the story don't be afraid to ask I'll try and reply to them all.**


	8. Chapter 7: A Little Push

**Authors Notes**

**I'll try and keep this brief. I thought I wasn't going to get this done on time but I actually got it done early so that was surprising. My favourite part of this chapter is the speech between Fang, Vanille and Lightning but I don't know if the characters are OOC or not. Whatever.**

* * *

Chapter 7: A Little Push

'I can't stand being here any longer' Lightning thought. After finding out she was twenty four last week she felt that she was just wasting away. Getting older with no chance to change her fate which was ominously similar to how she had felt as a L'Cie. 'What if I'm stuck in here forever' she thought referring to the crystalline pillar that housed her, Vanille, Fang and an assortment of creatures from Pulse and Cocoon. The thought finally sinking in almost made her cry, the thought of not ever seeing _him _again was even worse and she did all she could to supress her emotions before turning to Vanille and Fang for comfort.

"I just don't know what to do" Light started. "I can't stop thinking about him, I feel like something's wrong with me." She paused to think for a second. "I mean it is Hope we're talking about here. He still seems like a boy although he has grown up so much." Lightning stumbled once again into a brick wall of silence and thought. 'Just thinking about him makes me have palpitations'. She slowly strode closer to the two statues to whisper to them. "I think my main concern is if he feels the same way… or not." 'Lingering on those thoughts aren't going to get me anywhere' Claire Farron thought reluctantly. But throughout the next few days she found her thoughts wondering to the boy she cared for and the man she had stronger feelings for, feelings which she didn't completely understand.

* * *

"_I think things are gonna get interesting round here 'Nille", "It's soooo exciting maybe Hope will get her in the end. All she needs is a little push." "That's up to us then" "Yeah Fang and Vanille the matchmakers!", "I like the sound of that, It sounds fun". "Fang… Don't mess it up that would be unfair on both of them", "I wasn't thinking of that. Anyway I have a better idea, listen up."_

After waking from hours of dreamless sleep Lightning got back to doing what she does best. Surviving. Even with a haul of meat from the creatures of the crystal she found it hard to make something appetising, 'If I had some herbs, or even some salt maybe it would taste better' she pondered silently. As a soldier Lightning had become accustomed to bland food, but even the slop served up at military canteens tasted better than this. Quietly munching on a piece of smoked jerky she couldn't help but feel something was amiss. After finishing her rations the young woman decided to check on Fang and Vannile, only to find that her companions were no longer statuesque crystals…

* * *

They were standing together silhouetted against the sunset, speaking with hushed tones. Lightning made the first move tapping the two younger women on their shoulders and the two span around with lightning fast reflexes. Vanille quickly breaking down all of lightning defences with her cheerful outlook. "Hey LLLLightning!" she smiled and hugged Lightning warmly. Lightning couldn't help but accept the hug. "It's nice to see you too Vanille". "Hey don't forget me" cried Fang mock angrily joining the hug. Once they broke away Lightning could see the excited look on their faces. "Is something wrong?" she questioned, "Not exactly" replied Vanille whilst Fang smirked beside her. "We were just wondering if you meant what you said" Fang continued her smirk turning into a full blown smile at lightning's discomfort. 'I knew I shouldn't have said anything. I'll just play dumb'. "So" said Fang. "Are you going to tell him." She finished with Vanille bouncing up and down beside her in excitement. "I don't know what you're talking about" huffed Lightning sternly. "Don't pretend you don't know Lightning. This is one thing you can't push away." Fang said with scorn inching into her voice. "What if I don't know what I feel" replied lightning quietly. Fang and Vanille were visibly astounded by Lightning's quietness, they knew it was a touchy subject but they didn't think she'd have such a problem accepting her feelings. "Well if you don't tell 'im I will" mocked Fang "He deserves to know". But the statement worked better than she could have hoped. "N-No… I'll tell him" Lightning blurted hesitantly. "Good" sighed Fang, smiling a huge grin similar to Snow's. "I think it's about time we got out of here" Vanille interjected, trying in vain to diffuse the awkwardness of the situation but Lightning nodded in agreement. "But how are we going to do that" finished Vanille placing a finger on her chin in thought. Lightning answered, reverting to her usual stoic self "I've tried to find a way out but there is none. I thought you two were holding this pillar up anyway?" "Well I don't know about that" Fang started, pausing to think. "It's a possibility though." Vanille finished before a cracking sound reached the trio's ears. "I think we just got our answer" Fang joked.

A crack soon widened in the wall of the pillar allowing the young women to escape. They were a lot higher than Lightning had originally thought and without magic or a mana drive there was no way down safely. "Let's go" shouted Vanille dragging Lightning to the opening, "What? Are you insane" Light replied. "We'll never make it". "You're such a pessimist Light" came Fangs riposte "Just trust us. You'll be in Hopes arms soon enough, we'll make sure of that" she continued giving Lightning a little push. 'Typical Fang'. And that was the last thing she remembered…

* * *

**Authors Notes**

**Haha. Another cliffhanger. I'm really enjoying writing this now and I hope you're enjoying it too. Did you find it humorous? Can you figure out Fang's plan? Will they survive the fall? We shall see.**

**I can't think of anything funny to write so yeah. See ya later.**


	9. Chapter 8: Awkward

**Authors Notes**

**Sorry for the lateness of this chapter I've been very busy lately and I may need to take a hiatus from writing for a while to focus on my studies. I have high hopes (pun intended) for this chapter because I personally think it has some ver cute, fan art worthy moments. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 8: Awkward

There were strange smells in the air as Lightning regained consciousness. It smelled like… petroleum fumes? As her hearing returned to her she could hear the rattling of engines, something which she had gotten used to, being with the GC. Then an unmistakeable swooping sound of a velocycle coming in for a fast landing.

She only caught fragments of conversation over the cacophony of noise "We came as soon as we could" Shouted a familiar voice, a voice which she wanted to punch. 'It can only be one person' she thought groggily opening her eyes. Even she couldn't resist the effects of a concussion for long though and they soon slammed shut again after seeing blurry flashes of yellow and white. Lightning refused to give in and struggled to wrench her eyes open again this time squinting in the sunlight to remove the blurriness. The person she saw standing above her was not whom she had suspected…

"Director, Come quickly she's awake!" the blond woman shouted aside. "Just a minute" came an even more familiar voice which she still couldn't remember who its owner was. "Can someone help Vanille" he commanded, to which the familiar sound of running followed. Lightning didn't like the blond woman. She was in her way, and for some reason trying to study her. "Fascinating" she mumbled, commenting on Lightning. And Lightning, being a soldier, took this opportunity pull out her knife, grab the woman by the tie and threaten her. "Who are you? Where am I? Where are my friends? If you've done anything to them I won't hesitate to slit your throat." "Uhh… DIRECTOR, a little help!" the blond squealed in terror and Lightning was happy 'I've still got it' she thought maliciously. But all colour drained from her face at the next person she saw.

* * *

"Maker's mercy Light, Back with us and already threatening my colleagues!" Chuckled a pair of green eyes and a mane of silvery hair. "HOPE" She cried out surprised by his presence, dropping the woman and her cheeks flushing bright red. 'I wasn't prepared for him" she panicked anxiously. "Oh, hey H-Hope" she stuttered knowing that her response was lame and unemotional. 'I haven't seen him for 500 years and the best I can come up with is 'hey'. He probably hates me now.'

Even though Hope was surprised finding Lightning, Fang and Vanille he wasn't prepared for Lightning's reaction to him. 'She blushed' he thought triumphantly. 'Maybe I've grown into a man worthy of her at last.' Before Hope could go off on another tangent he was ripped out of his thoughts by Alyssa's questioning tone, "Do you know this woman, Director?", "Yes Alyssa, she's an old… friend" he replied offering Lightning his hand to help her up while considering whether Lightning considered him a friend or not.

* * *

The trip back to Bhunivelze was long and awkward, Lightning didn't speak another word to Hope for fear of embarrassing herself again. They only conversed when Hope told her that she should go see a doctor to evaluate her injuries. Of course Lightning was worried about Fang and Vanille as well after not seeing them for a while, but seeing a doctor was more important. The doctor gave her some pain medication and told her to rest before exerting herself again. Knowing Lightning though, she would disregard this completely. She sat down next to Hope again as they reached their destination and rested her head on his shoulder. Hope looked at her quizzically but was content to let her lean on him. It was only as they were leaving that he voiced his thoughts.

* * *

"Light are you tired?" he asked, genuinely concerned. "Not at all" came her cold reply but her face softened when she realised that she was speaking to Hope. "The doctor told me to rest and drink some potions, so that's what I did", she continued missing out that she hadn't taken anything for her concussion yet. But Hope saw through her ruse. "I can tell when you're lying Light" he smirked. "I've know you too well" he could see her eyes darken in anger at first then brighten as a new thought entered her head. "I don't think a potion would do it, I need something stronger" Lightning pouted in order to push Hopes buttons. 'Damnit. I can't resist that face" he thought, falling for her lies this time because he could actually help her though. "I have some stronger medication at home, It's supposed to be military grade stuff". Lightning nodded in acceptance "Thanks" she replied meekly.

* * *

On their way to Hope's apartment the pink haired soldier heard the patter of footsteps running to catch up with them. Before she could turn around they were upon her, "LIGHTNING!" Shouted two similar voices in unison whilst hugging her tightly. 'Of course they'd turn up at the most inconvenient time' she thought angrily. 'They could give away my feelings for Hope' she started to think urgently trying to find a way out of what had become a very _very_ awkward situation. "Oh, Hey Hope!" Vanille started, her cherry smile was echoed by the way that she spoke. "We missed you" the girl finished, grabbing him and pulling him into a warm embrace, which made Lightning angrier than she had already been. 'He's mine' she stated possessively to no one but herself. Her nerves were about to be tested again as Fang walked up to the young man, looking him up and down with an eyebrow raised in mock surprise. "Well. Who'd have thunk it" she mused. "What?" Hope said weakly, surprised at the attention he was getting from his female comrades. "You've became quite a handsome man Hope" she flattered him. "Uhh thanks?" he said ruffling his hair with uncertainty while his cheeks flushed red.

That was the final straw. Lightning had to do something. "Shouldn't we get back to Hopes" she half shouted while giving her _friends_ a look of doom that anyone, even Snow, could interpret. "Yes let's go!" Shouted Vanille cutely as she and Fang grabbed Hopes hands and dragged him to who knows where. "W-Wait" he stuttered nervously before being dragged away "LIGHT help me!" he shouted as the trio turned a corner 'Are they trying to make me kill them?' an infuriated Lightning wondered. Soon after Lightning had the perfect plan to get Hopes affections centred on her…

After finding the trio, Lightning executed her plan; she didn't care about embarrassing herself again if it meant she could be close to him. She sprinted towards them, only slowing down a second before she jumped onto Hopes back. He stumbled almost falling over because of the momentum which he was not prepared for. Looking behind him he gazed directly into her eyes, green and blue locked together until one of them spoke. It was Lightning who spoke first. "Can I have a piggyback Hope?" She said trying to be uncharacteristically adorable. He couldn't help but smile "Of course. How could I refuse?" he said sarcastically. She nuzzled close to his neck seeking the warmth that only he could give her. She ignored Fang and Vanille's knowing smiles. 'They'd planned this all along, how could I have been fooled so easily?' she pondered, already knowing the answer but not fully accepting it.

Following these events they arrived at Estheim Towers, the aptly named apartment block as its penthouse resident was its namesake. Hope and the trio of women took the elevator up to his room in silence only speaking again as he opened his door. "When will we see the others?" Vannile questioned curiously. "Tomorrow" Hope replied collapsing on his bed. "Snow and Serah wanted to see you today but I told them it would be better to wait" "WHAT?!" Lightning gasped in surprise "Serah is alive… but I saw her die". Hope went on to describe the epic quest he and Noel had embarked upon and before promptly falling asleep told the women where to find some blankets and sleeping bags. Although Lightning noticed his bed had enough room for all of them. 'Does he feel awkward around us? Had Fang and Vanille scared him off? Does he like me or not? I guess it would be awkward if Serah and Snow walked in on us sleeping with Hope they'd get the wrong idea' Lightning chuckled 'Maybe no one will know if I wake up before him" she thought mischievously before joining Hope in bed.

* * *

**Authors Notes**

**Before I go any further, I have to say that was as fun to write as it was to read. You know you've written something good when it gives you major feels.**

**Idk if this is funny or not but here's an alternate scene I thought up.**

* * *

**Alternate end scene ****- After Hope goes to sleep -**

**"Soooo cute" Vanille mouthed pointing to Hopes sleeping form. Lightning couldn't help but agree, 'He looks so peaceful' she thought lovingly. Fang nodded in agreement and added her own comment. "He's so hot" this earned her a scolding look from Lightning while Vanille nodded as she blushed. 'This better not be another of their schemes' Light thought angrily. "Why are you looking at me like that? You of all people can't deny that he's grown to be quite handsome." The raven haired woman stared Lightning down waiting for her to cave. 'Damn it' thought Lightning as a blush showed her true emotions. "Yes, I suppose so" she admitted. Fang smiled knowing she had won, then said something to make the two other women look up in shock...**

**"What? How is a four way out of the question?" She moaned. "I-It just is... I mean it's Hope" Lightning stuttered. "'Nillie, surely you agree?" Fang questioned desperately. "I guess so... I'm sure it's better to be around friends anyway." She replied a lewd smirk growing on her face which was soon joined by Fangs own grin. "No! Just no." Lightning replied to their piercing glares. "Fine!" Shouted Fang her patience beginning to run thin. "We'll just have him all to ourselves" she finished. "NO!" Roared lightning anger straining her voice. "Changed your mind then Light?" Lightning sighed knowing she could never win. But before she could give her answer the sound of Hopes douvet being lifted reached her ears. before she knew it Hope was being smothered with kisses. muffled screaming emanating from him as Fang gave him a very passionate kiss on the lips before she recoiled. "What the F-" Hope managed before being cut off, "Don't pretend you didn't love it" Fang smirked lustfully locking her eyes on Hope. Before being pulled away by a very angry Lightning. Lightning then grabbed Hope by the collar, and pulled him in for her own rendition of Fangs kiss, but this was so much more special to him, he didn't even protest. For once they were both happy.**

* * *

**Give me a review or something if you loved this chapter as much as I did. I think Hope is very happy with the outcome of this chapter.**

**Hope: HELL YEAH I AM!**

**Lightning: *facepalm***


End file.
